The workshops, which are being offered by Teesside University, will use the latest and most innovative ‘lean start-up’ techniques to allow entrepreneurs to focus on areas which will dramatically increase their chances of success.

Lean start-up is now being used by many new and existing enterprises around the world.

Rather than building a service or product first and hoping that customers will come, lean start-up helps entrepreneurs to validate their business ideas and learn what customers really need.

There are six different Start UP Teesside workshops which will be delivered on multiple dates at Teesside University’s campuses in Middlesbrough and Darlington.

The University has assembled several prominent trainers and coaches, including the current British Sales Trainer of the Year, to deliver the free workshops.

The University’s Senior Business Adviser, Steve Dougan, said the new programme has been developed to give the region’s entrepreneurs a chance to take advantage of the latest developments in start-up methodology.

He said: 'This is something totally new for the region. Normally if you want to attend lean start-up workshops like this, you need to pay large amounts of money and travel to somewhere like London or Manchester.

“We’ve gone out there to find the very best provision we can for the workshops and we’re delighted with the calibre of people who will be delivering them.

'These will be very focused and very aggressive workshops which will help entrepreneurs market themselves and sell themselves and be the right person for the job.

'There are some unique courses which will focus on key areas of development for business start-ups.'

The workshops, which are being funded by the European Regional Development Fund, are:• Lean Start-up Day 1 – creating and testing your ideas.• Lean Start-up Day 2 – planning to succeed.• Lean Sales – real-world selling skills for start-ups.• Marketing on a Budget of Zero – harnessing the power of the web and social media.• Perfect Persona – communications skills for entrepreneurs.• Go! Get Started in Social Enterprise – build a sustainable business model for a social enterprise.

This project is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), managed by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

The ERDF Competitiveness Programme 2007-2013 is bringing over £300m into the North East to support innovation, enterprise and business support across the region.